Pen Replacing Looms and Needles: Emergence of Female Authors and Authority in Renaissance Europe

In Renaissance Europe gender discriminations were put aside when women of upper classes were prodigiously included in the “Reformist Movement,” allowing the spread of female literacy and writing throughout Europe. However, these measures still encountered frequent contemporary criticism and prevalent masculine oppression. This paper traces the possible reasons behind the encouragement provided to women during a time when education was limited to men. It will attempt to examine how these women profited from the educational endeavors they were provided with, the way they advocated the need to educate themselves, and how they responded to the criticism received from the society